Droid 2 R2-D2 page now live, nerds everywhere shed tears of delight

Recipe for win -- 1 part newest Android phone, the Droid 2, and 1 part Star Wars' most memorable character, R2-D2. Mix well, prepare for the onslaught of people like me who will do just about anything to throw our money at you so we can have one. And to tease us until we explode, Verizon has gone live with the R2-Droid2 teaser page.

Taking a cue from the X, it looks like this page has some locked content as well. The site says to follow R2 on Twitter to unlock details, @droidlanding. Why would anyone want to worry about unlocking content on a phone's launch page? Two words -- Jedi Training. We're following, you guys follow too, and whoever gets portions unlocked first has to tell the rest of us -- deal? [Verizon] Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Android Quick App: Pulse

A newsreader is something that quite a few of us rely on in our day-to-day life. Digging through the slew of them on the Android Market can be quite a task, so allow me to suggest you start with Pulse. It has all the basics you would expect from any newsreader -- handles rss feeds, links to full stories on the web, customizable sources, and a robust selection of pre-defined newsfeeds to choose from. Pulse just does things a little more visually, and in this author's opinion, a little better. And it's currently discounted to 99 cents. Let's check it out, after the break.

Google and Verizon's proposal for a continued open (wired) Internet (and a larger FCC)

Net neutrality and the idea of an open Internet have been at the center of contentious debates of late. It has been a confusing issue and one that remains perplexing to this day. I have outlined what has happened in the past week, some of the problems inherent in our current broadband system and summarized Google and Verizon’s proposal, which was announced Monday. Hopefully this will erase some of the confusion that exists. Let's dive into it after the break.

... And I call BS, but more on that later. So, the folks over at OkCupid just put up an interesting article about ways to avoid "being ugly." From their data as seen above, they are recommending that users steer away from Android devices because Android users seem to get less action than their iPhone (and BlackBerry) counterparts. Who knows, maybe it is because we have porn. Join me past the break and we can discuss this a bit more, shall we? But for now, fill out our handy (and anonymous!) quick poll. [OkCupid via TiPB]

Best Buy tablet in the works?

Best Buy may be making its own Android tablet soon. Robert Stephens, CTO of the giant retailer, tweeted an image of a tablet on Friday that sported Best Buy's 'Rocketfish' branding.

Next, Ben Hedrington, a web strategist for the company, tweeted his own "hidden" message:

"Hint hint...be looking for a little green robot on that Best Buy tablet screen..."

Now if that doesn't give away the operating system of the tablet, I'm not sure what will. Best Buy is set to launch Best Buy Connect, a 4G data service soon, so a tablet should not be too surprising.

Great to hear more news about Android tablets and you know one from Best Buy is going to receive a huge marketing push. Hopefully it won't prevent them from selling other tablets, like the rumored Samsung and Motorola devices. [Androinica via CrunchGear]

Android trojan found in the wild

Welcome to the big time, Android users -- the first Android-specific trojan has been announced by Kaspersky Lab. Don't sound the alarms and clang the bells just yet, as even with 200,000 activations a day this thing (so far) is as rare as an honest politician. If you are unlucky enough to install it, the trojan will send premium SMS messages (as in the kind that add money to your monthly carrier bill) behind the scenes and without your knowledge or permission. Like its Windows and iPhone counterparts, you won't find it in any reputable place like the Android Market, and will have to peruse the seedy side of the interwebz to run into it. Yes, I'm talking about those so-called .apk black markets. But since there's also a chance an innocent party could come across this one, rather than point and laugh, let's talk about how to prevent it.

Which brings us to side-loading and application permissions. If you don't go for the conspiracy theories, AT&T is protecting you from this sort of thing by disabling sideloading. Once you get a bit more comfortable with Android, we've re-enabled that for you, so even you AT&T subscribers need to pay attention to application permissions. If you download a supposed video player (A 13kb video player? That's a hint in itself) that needs access to your messaging program, and install it anyway you're just asking for trouble.

Of course you could download and install one of the Android anti-virus apps, that's your call. In any case, be careful what you download, where you download it from, and for goodness sakes read the application permissions before you click away! [Kaspersky Lab]

Finally, we have proper launch info for the Dell Streak. The one-day presale begins Thursday, and the 5-inch Android tablet will be in general availability on Friday. Pricing remains the same at $299 with a two-year contract on AT&T, and $549 sans contract. Otherwise, everything else is as we expect -- 5MP camera, 2GB of on-board storage, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, and the ability to look at the Droid X and Evo 4G like they're small fries. Full presser after the break. [Business Wire] Discuss the Dell Streak in our Tablet Forums.

Adobe shows off Flash running on Droid 2

Adobe just put up a blog post showing off Flash 10.1 running on a brand-new Droid 2, which will come with it pre-installed. They went on to promise that the Droid X, Droid Incredible, the Galaxy S line, and the Milestone will see Flash "in the coming weeks," which is great news for those waiting for Froyo as it is a requirement for Flash. Personally, I am just waiting on Flash so I can get my Strong Bad fix on the go. Check out their video walkthrough after the break. [Adobe]

A very brief look at Tweetdeck for Android

We're still waiting on the public beta of Tweetdeck for Androidto go live sometime this week, but a very short video from Tweetdeck CEO Iain Dodsworth showing the log-in process is on Twitter. Of particular droolworthiness: The multiple account access, which for a good many of us is a must-have in any Twitter app. Check out the video after the break. Thanks, Eddie, for the tip!

Powrman811in our forums brings word that Aug. 21 is a date we should look out for, writing "MY GO TO SPRINT PEOPLE told me that I can order my store inventory on August 16th and sell on the 21st." And he shows of the Epic 4G you see above as proof that, well, he's seen the Epic 4G. Of course, so have we, so take that however you like. But it is nice to have a new date to kick around, right?

MixPanel: Providing real-time analytics for Android

The ability to see real-time, in depth data about user behavior in relation to applications is extremely useful; and that’s exactly what Mixpanel provides to its users. The company originally started off providing detailed analytics for web applications, but acutely saw that the future rests in the mobile space. Useful data analysis can help developers in a big way in order to see what's working and what's not with their application.

They released their iPhone library 2 weeks ago, which has proven to be very successful. Now, they have a version for Android. I spoke with Jeremy Richardson, who is involved in Business Development at Mixpanel. He provided me with key information that users considering an analytics service like Mixpanel will want to know. More after the break.

Android Quick App: Home Run Battle 3D

Here's a look at the free version of Home Run Battle 3D. This is the perfect game for me, because I can pick it up any time I want a quick release from boredom and then put it back down when it's time to get back to work. There are two game modes: matchup and arcade. In the free version you have to earn the right to play a multiplayer game (after your first free free matchup games) by actually being competent at the game and hitting a home run with a "gold ball." You can also earn gold balls by unlocking achievements. There are other "special" balls in the game, and I haven't quite figured out what they all do, but the ones I do know are:

Angel Ball: takes away 1 out

Gold Ball: you can spend it on matchup games and maybe other things in the accessory store

Multiplier Ball: I've seen 2x and 3x, and they double or triple your score

Ghost Ball: it goes invisible for a moment or two while it's on the way to the plate

Magic Ball: sends an "attack" ball to your matchup opponent

Iron Ball: sends an iron ball to your matchup opponent if you hit a home run with it, which only flies half the normal distance

Droid 2 (finally) official, pre-sale starts tomorrow

It is finally official people: Verizon has announced the Droid 2 will be landing Aug. 12, that's this Thursday, as rumored. It will go on pre-sale via Verizon Wireless's website starting tomorrow and that insane R2-D2 version will be available sometime in September. Pricing will run you $200 with new (or upgrade) 2-year contract after a $100 mail-in-rebate debit card; no word yet on off-contract prices. As a quick recap (for the 2 of you who haven't been following the numerous leaks) the phone will come with Android 2.2 ("Froyo"), Flash 10.1, VZW's 3G mobile hotspot option (extra $$$ required) and 8GB of onboard storage paired with an 8GB preinstalled microSD card. Full press release after the break. [Verizon via BGR]

Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by the Android Open Source Project
and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 2.5 Attribution License. AndroidCentral is an independent site
that is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google.